Accidents have happened. At Harvard, an overzealous student began to peel off
 his clothes at a game while the band played the traditional strip-tease
 serenade. He threw his shirt on the ice, and the Zamboni sucked it up and
 ground to a stop. In the 45 minutes it took to repair the machine and resume
 the game, the Harvard players were numbed by the 10-degree rink temperature
 and subsequently gave up four goals to lose the game.
 
 In Philadelphia, when the Blazers of the World Hockey Association debuted in
 1971, ice was laid over a wooden floor at the Philadelphia Civic Center. The
 ice was made on top of a sand and sawdust base; because the base wasn't
 properly prepared, there were air pockets. When the Zamboni came out to
 prepare the ice surface, the air pockets gave way, and the ice broke up. A
 crew tried frantically to patch up the surface, but every time the Zamboni
 moved, huge chunks popped up.
 
 Rasmussen says he knows of no serious problems at Met Center. Occasionally, a
 puck will be swept up, jamming the machine. But the twin Zambonis mostly
 spread good cheer and earn big bucks. One of the machines is painted red with
 a Budweiser logo; most Zambonis at NHL rinks are covered with advertising that
 can cost $25,000 per season. The North Stars offered the brewery the chance to
 paint the other Zamboni with a Bud Light logo, creating the opportunity for a
 Bud-Bud Light confrontation at every game. The brewery declined.
 
 As is the case with most cultural icons, the Zamboni is not universally
 adored. It has taken its share of lumps, including the beating administered to
 a brand new machine at Maple Leaf Gardens earlier this season. Hartford
 defenseman Ulf Samuelsson, after being penalized for instigating a fight in a
 game against the Leafs, took out his frustration by tearing up the penalty
 box. When Samuelsson was banished from the rink, he went into a frenzy. He
 made his way up the tunnel, cursing and stomping, and saw the ultimate target:
 the helpless, inert Zamboni, which might as well have worn a "Kick Me" sign.
 
 Samuelsson picked up a long squeegee used to clean the ice and drew it behind
 him like a golfer teeing up for a hard drive. He whirled around and planted it
 into the grille of the machine, then stormed into the darkness. The Zamboni
 suffered only a surface wound and stayed on the job. But the Zamboni being
 what it is, fans and players alike were outraged by Samuelsson's violent act.
 He was fined $100 by a players' kangaroo court. He was made to pay $300 for
 repairs. The scene was played over and over on television. Samuelsson would
 not have been so denounced had he planted a fist in a fellow players face.
 
 to be continued...
 Carol White
 U of MN
 GO Gophers!!!